THE VOLTAIRES are a small but determined band from Leeds. They did an EP in 2008 and they have played a load of gigs. I remember seeing them at The Cockpit one summer. They were full of ideas and they looked improbable. I liked them on both counts.
When this CD came in the post I was forced to like the whole of it by the Pavlovian stimulus of "Intro" (0.32). I'll not spoil the surprise, but as a wonky trumpet fanfare trails away any listener with an obsessive vinyl collection is going to be salivating in anticipation of what follows.
I'd say The VOLTAIRES were a band of music lovers, cutting and playing loads of favourite sounds from the simplest of 60s, punk and indie into tightly written songs that grab fresh attention every few seconds. Busy is the good word.
Within the brief, the range is impressive. "Recall" is a storming riff that turns early high-geared Kinks inside out. It's an obvious single, and has been released as such. "Son Of The Devil" has some big lines, like "We are the sons of the devil! We are responsible people!" "There Will Always Be Cinema" chugs along as if it was a bit of rockabilly with nice fat guitar lines. "(I Hate) Saturday Nights" squeals in a nitrous mood, and throws out the title as a shoutalong chorus. In "Tell Me Otherwise" I can hear a nod towards Leeds legendary punk band LORIMER. This could be news to The VOLTAIRES of course.
"Sad Alone" has rasping chords against Gareth Williams' high pitched squall of a voice. Like "Unusual, I Know" and several other tracks there are lots of snippets for guitar fans that hang on tight to the punky side of indie. By the standards of THE VOLTAIRES "Sad Alone's" four minutes and five seconds is a real sprawl of a song. "Domino Effect" blasts it to oblivion. I think it might be about South East Asia in the 1960s. But if it isn’t, it could be. "Something Owed" is a micro-opera of sections with a big-sounding guitar break. "Why Oh Why" isn’t my favourite – but it could be your call-response-with-harmonica heaven. Despite the simplicity of the basic form you have to hand it to THE VOLTAIRES: they do not do mindless repetition. "God Only Knows" is definitely not THE BEACH BOYS. It is a lot more screamy and frantic. But it does have some really good ooh ooh harmonies. (punk with harmonies? Yes.)
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There is a lot of work in this album. Their time together has had chance to cut out the filler, if there ever was any. There's a lot of love. There are trumpets and strings (but in short bursts and only where they fit well). None of it is out of place and it all makes lots of sense.
THE VOLTAIRES comprise: Gareth Williams, vocal; Paul Cave, guitars et al; Michael Cockerham, guitars et al; Matthew Sugden, bass et al; and Bobby Syme, drums et al. Leo Winfield played drums on "First Things First"
http://thevoltaires.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/thevoltaires
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